Heart Of A Replica
by Shai-Lang
Summary: Set three years after the big battle with Van. It has been three months since Luke has returned, and Auldrant is finally at peace. However what happens when a mysterious girl threatens to disrupt that peace. LukexTear, AnisexFlorian, GuyxNatalia


_A/N: I know, I know, I know. I'm so bad, I shouldn't even THINK of starting a new fic when I have 4 major crossovers that are WIP that I haven't updated in like forever. But I just couldn't help myself, so sue me!! Besides I'm currently still working on the 6th chapter to "Moonlight Destiny" so all the loyal readers of that fic, if you're reading this, that chapter should be up pretty soon. Anyways, yes this is my first venture into OC-centric fic, but whoa wait hold on!! Before you push the back button thinking this is just going to be another Mary-Sue crap fic, I'll have you know that she's actually more of a symbolic character in this fic that will help Luke deal with his insecurities(And no they don't hook up.) The fic is basically just my own version of what a sequel to TOA would look like, or what I'd want it to look like at least, so read with an open mind and enjoy!! Contrary to popular opinion, I only very briefly introduce my OC in the Prologue. She won't really be fully established until quite a few chapters in, so don't worry about having to read to much boring stuff about her. Anyways let's just get on with the fic._

_Disclaimer: TOA belongs to the wonderful people of Namco-Bandai, and Kosuke Fujishima. Not me._

_-- _

Tales Of The Abyss-Heart of a Replica

Prologue

"_Gasp, Huff-Huff, Pant.'' Came the sounds of a young girl running swiftly through the murky darkness of the Tataroo Valley. Her legs seeming to carry her on their own as they did not flinch for even a second for fear of being caught by her captors._

"_You can't run away from us forever!!'' Came the yells of hundreds of soldiers who were hell-bent on capturing the girl. But whether they were of Kimlascan association or Malkuth's was unknown. All that was known is that they were after her, and she needed to get away, fast. _

"_If you surrender now, we promise not to hurt you too badly.'' One of the guards called out, "but that's only if you stop running and come quietly with us!!'' _

"_Never!!'' The girl called back as she continued running, not daring to look back._

"_Don't say we didn't warn you!!'' One of the soldiers called out again, only now a blue form of energy was beginning to form in his palm. "ICICLE RAIN!!'' The soldier called out his attack, as hundreds of sharp ice crystals began zooming towards the girl. _

_The girl screamed, partly in surprise partly in fear. "This is the end…. But no, I can't die yet, I haven't even…. NO, I refuse to die, NOOOO DON'T LET ME DIEEEEE!!!!'' She thought to herself, but just as the icicles were about to hit her a flash of red light surrounded the girl and she disappeared._

"_What the?? She's gone!!'' The soldier yelled out._

"_Did she just use the legendary Mystic Arte Teleport?? The one that allows you to escape battle?? Another soldier commented. Suddenly before he could comment further, the sounds of footsteps over water could be heard as a woman who looked like she'd be around her late twenties or thirties, with shoulder length purple hair emerged from the darkness of the Valley._

"_General, we've lost her!! It seems she was able to escape by using the Mystic Arte Teleport.''_

"_Hmm, so it seems she has learned to utilize her abilities, but I never thought she'd be able to use Fonic Artes yet, let alone Mystic Artes. Seems I've underestimated the girl.'' The woman responded as an evil smirk appeared upon her face. "Very well, search throughout the whole area for her and go into every village, town, city, or forest you can find. I will not rest until she has been captured, even if it means searching all of Auldrant for her, I want her captured and I want her captured alive.'' _

"_YES GENERAL!!'' All the soldiers responded as they immediately began dispersing throughout the Valley, leaving their commander all alone in the middle of the field of flowers near the Valley's edge._

_The woman then took out the golden locket that she had been hiding secretly in her cape, and opened it, revealing the picture of a young man with unruly grayish-brownish hair wrapped in a ponytail. The woman smiled at the picture fondly, as memories began flooding throughout her system._

"_Soon Van…. The woman whispered to the picture. Soon your dream will be realized.''_

--

BATICUL- CAPITAL OF KIMLASCA-LANVALDER 3 YEARS AFTER THE GREAT BATTLE.

"_Dear Diary, well it's me, I'm back. After a long three years absence, I have finally come back home, just like I promised Tear I would all those years ago. It still seems kind of hard to believe that I managed to survive but it seems that light that appeared before me and Asch right after the battle with Van was actually Lorelai. And thanks to Lorelai, both Asch and me were saved, well sort of. I wish I could say the same for Asch, but it seems his whole being was merged together with mine. According to Lorelai this was the only way both me and Asch could survive, is if we merged together into one new being. However, since I was the one that was alive during the merging, my consciousness remained intact and rules over this body. I'm still the same person, (okay maybe not the __**same.**__) the only difference is that I gained all of Asch's memories too, and it almost feels like he's living within me now. Heh, kinda ironic isn't it that at the end of it all the replica manages to rule out over the original. Even though I guess you can't really call me a replica or an original anymore, honestly I don't know what I am, it's like I'm both Luke and Asch but then neither of them at all. I wonder if this is the person I was always meant to be, if perhaps me and Asch were always meant to merge together into one like this, if this being really was the chosen one foretold in the Score. I have so many questions, but no answers at all, oh well I guess I should just be happy I'm alive. Tear tells me that it doesn't matter who I am now, but that the important thing is that I'm back and alive, and that even if I did merge together with Asch into a new person, I'm still Luke, and I'll always be Luke to her. Ha-Ha, good old Tear, still the same lecturing, consoling, "big sister" (as my mother likes to call her.) Tear she's always been. I guess some things will never change, and speaking of changing, even though it's been 3 months since I got back things really haven't changed that much around here. Well okay, of course they have changed but not that much, it mostly feels like I'm the only one who's changed. _

_But enough about me, I bet you're really wondering how everybody is doing; well they're all doing pretty good in fact. Everybody has gone on with their lives, and is just living for the present. Hmm let's see…. Well I know that the treaty between Kimlasca and Malkuth is still holding strong, and the two warring kingdoms have finally come together and are working towards moving all of Auldrant into one prosperous nation, and so far it's looking pretty good between them. Tear has returned to Yulia City, and is watching over it alongside her grandfather while trying to fulfill a lifelong dream she's always had if the world ever became peaceful. Which was to become a singer, yes Tear the tough and cold soldier wants to become a singer and is practicing her talents in Yulia City. I believe she could do it I mean after all she really does have an amazing voice, and I should know because I've battled alongside her throughout our journeys together. Speaking of battle, she's still practicing her healing artes so that when the time for battle does come again she won't be rusty, but this time she's doing it much more efficiently by working as a nurse in Yulia City and tending to the sick and injured while she practices her singing. So yeah, she's pretty busy, but she still finds time to visit me and actually comes to Baticul pretty often since I got back. Though it does feel a little weird around her now, and I'm not sure why, maybe it's because of what she said to me 3 years ago… Wow, I can't believe I still remember it…. A-Anyways, as for the others well Jade is still the same old cynical sarcastic bastard he's always been. And is still continuing serving as Colonel of the Malkuth forces under his dear friend Emperor Peony, but now he's also currently researching Fonons and new Fonic methods in the Belkend laboratory. Hopefully, to find ways to make better medicine…. I hope…. You never know with Jade. As for Anise, well she's returned to Daath and is now currently helping Florian with his duties as new Grand Fon Master, while finding new ways of haggling people for money as always. _

_Guy has also been following his dream, and is studying machinery in Sheridan. He's been offered a position in the Kimlasca grand council by Natalia, but has so far refused, saying that's it's still too hard for him and he still has a lot of mixed feelings and stuff. Natalia hopes that he'll come around someday, but right now he's content with his life in Sheridan, of course he still visits Baticul to see me a lot just like Tear, and we practice our swordsmanship and reminisce about old times a lot when he does come. He says that he thinks he's slowly but surely getting over his fear of girls, in fact he claims it almost nonexistent now!! Which would be great, because the he really does deserve some happiness after all he's been through. And I should know because I'm his best friend!! Of course, like Tear he still has a lot of mixed feelings about Van's death, which is understandable. I mean to tell you the truth, I have some myself…. And finally Natalia, well she's definitely doing a lot of her princess duties, and is trying to make Baticul the best city it could be. She definitely has the makings of a queen in her, and has made a lot of changes already. She's already urged the Kimlascan consultant to open up special facilities for Replicas in Baticul. Such as schools, housing, and new job opportunities. She even started a new organization known as the UFR, or Union for Replicas, a Union/Social Welfare Organization dedicated to helping Replicas. Natalia said she's always wanted to use her influence as Princess to make a difference, and well she most certainly has. After watching some of the brutalities that Replicas faced after coming into the world she felt it was her duty and mission to help them, especially since one of her best friends, yours truly is one. I'm so proud of her, she's truly come a long way back from when I used to know her when she was little, and even though she's not a Princess by blood, she's the best damn Princess I've ever seen, and the people love her. Her soul is definitely that of a Princess. Anyways, I suppose that's everyone. Everyone has found their own path and is following it. But what about me?? I still have this weird feeling deep down that my own personal journey is not over. I mean, don't get me wrong I'm glad I'm back and everything, but I feel so… so…. I don't know void. I mean I'm over that whole Replica inferiority complex I used to have, but now and again I still feel so….''_

"Master!!''

Luke was suddenly brought out of his writing by the sound of a high-pitched squeaky voice calling out to him. And sure enough, just like he expected, a blue and white floppy eared creature with a large ring around its belly came tumbling into the room.

"Mieu!! Luke gasped out loud. Oh Geez, how many times have I told you not to come barging into my room like that?? Especially **while** I'm writing?? Luke sighed, as he made his way over to the little cheagle who was still sitting on the floor looking quite dazed. Mieu quickly shook his head and snapped out of it, as he began bouncing up and down exuberantly.

"Master, Master, Master!! Mieu has big new, Mieu has big news!!''

"Alright, alright, already. Luke chuckled softly. What is it??''

"Tear's come to visit!!" Mieu beamed happily, as he often did whenever Tear's name was mentioned. The little cheagle was quite fond of the healer as she was with him.

"Y-Yeah, so?? That's not so big, Tear's been visiting a lot lately.'' Luke stuttered out, while trying to hide his embarrassment. He really didn't know why he was always getting so embarrassed these days, whenever Tear's name was mentioned, it probably had something to do with what Tear had told him 3 years ago.

"Yes, I know Master but this time she says it's important and that she's here on business!! She's waiting outside in the garden.''

"Oh, s-she is is she??'' Luke mumbled out, and suddenly it felt like the room had just gotten a whole lot warmer.

"Master, are you blushing??'' Mieu smartly observed, as he saw a faint redness begin to highlight Luke's cheeks.

"O-Of course not!! Luke quickly protested. Why would I be blushing, this is **Tear** someone I've known for ages, one of my most trusted companions. W-Why would I be blushing over her??''

"Well, I don't know Master it just seems that lately you've been….''

"Let's just go outside and see her!!'' Luke quickly cut Mieu off, as he went outside his room, and opened the door to his mansion's garden. Only to be faced with the beautiful sight of Tear singing Yulia's hymn in his garden, and enchanting the maids and servants who all stopped to listen and stare.

"_Tear_, Luke thought. _Why do I feel so strange now every time I look at you?? Were you really serious when you told me that three years ago?? And, just how do I feel about you, I don't even know myself._

To be continued.....

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_A/N: Alright, so their we have it, the prologue, basically it's just a recap of everyone's lives after the big battle with Van. Feel free to correct me with any Canon mistakes, or name misspellings, it has been two years since I've finished the game after all, so corrections are always welcome. Also, I know it's a little early in the story to tell, but does my OC seem Mary-Sueish at all?? Anything at all that you found even slightly annoying from her brief appearance please tell me in your reviews, this is my first time creating a real OC, so I'm trying my best to get it right. So feel free to say anything, positive or negative(of course both is the best) Every little bit counts, and constructive criticism is greatly encouraged. So please, please review and help me improve as a writer. The first official chapter should be up pretty soon, since I already have it all outlined and everything, so look forward to it. Till next time!!_

_~FireMiko_


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